Device for cleaning steelworks molds

ABSTRACT

A device for cleaning steel works molds with at least two chambers, into which the molds that are to be cleaned are inserted. The chambers are downwardly open and can be closed at the top by a lid. They are arranged side by side on a mold grate above the foundation pit and in the foundation pit a lance for blasting abrasives onto the inner walls of the mold is arranged on a substantially horizontal lance carrier, which is rotatable about a vertical axis, so that the lance can be brought into blasting position below each chamber in turn.

United States Patent Linke July 15, 1975 [54] DEVICE FOR CLEANINGSTEELWORKS 2,483,956 10/1949 Workman 51/8 R 2,696,910 12/1954 Ljungdell3,769,752 11/1973 McDonald 51/14 UX Alfred Linke, Linz, AustriaVereinigte Osterreichische Eisenund Stahlwerke Alpine MontanAktiengesellschaft, Vienna, Austria Jan. 8, 1974 inventor:

Assignee:

Filed:

Appl. No.:

Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 18. 1973 Austria 376/73 US. Cl51/8 R Int. Cl. B24c 3/18 Field of Search 51/8 R, 8 SP, l4, 15

Primary Examiner-Donald G. Kelly Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Bums, Doane.Swecker & Mathis [57] ABSTRACT A device for cleaning steel works moldswith at least two chambers, into which the molds that are to be cleanedare inserted. The chambers are downwardly open and can be closed at thetop by a lid. They are arranged side by side on a mold grate above thefoundation pit and in the foundation pit a lance for blasting abrasivesonto the inner walls of the mold is arranged on a substantiallyhorizontal lance carrier, which is rotatable about a vertical axis, sothat the lance can be brought into blasting position below each chamberin turn.

10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures DEVICE FOR CLEANING STEELWORKS MOLDS Theinvention relates to a device for cleaning steel works molds by means ofa liftable and lowerable, as well as rotatable lance for blasting anabrasive onto the inner wall of the mold.

In steel works liquid steel is cast in molds to form ingots of differentcross sections and different heights. The cleaning of the molds aftereach casting is a problem which has not yet been satisfactorily solved.Originally the inner walls of the molds were laboriously cleaned by handwith brushes to remove sticking metaland slag particles; later on thistask was made easier by using machines travelling above the molds andbeing provided with liftable and lowerable brushes, but such machinesare liable to disturbances, they take up much room, and as they have tobe adaptable to molds of different cross sections, different conicalshape, height, etc., they are difficult to handle. Another disadvantageis their dust evolution.

It has been known to clean molds in mold casting plants, where steelworks molds are manufactured, from the adhering mold mass by placingeach mold on a vehicle and driving it into a chamber, where the surfaceis sand-blast by using a liftable and lowerable lance. (Iron and Steel,"October 1972, page 537).

This procedure entails that in the chamber only one mold at a time canbe cleaned and for cleaning the next mold one has to wait until theprevious one has been removed from the chamber. This disadvantage is ofno importance for the operation of a mold casting plant, because therethe preparation for casting and for the subsequent cooling of thecasting in the mold takes much more time than the cleaning process. Afurther disadvantage one can put up with in a mold casting plant, liesin the fact that the lifting devices and additional means for thesand-blasting lance extend high above the chamber.

These disadvantages are not acceptable for steel works, where every daye.g. several hundreds of molds have to be transported from the castingstand to a resting stand by means of one or several cranes and therehave to be cleaned and cooled and transported back to the casting stand.As a rule, in steel works there is very little room; thereforetrack-bound vehicles which are liable to disturbances cannot be used.The space where the molds are cleaned and prepared for the next casting,must be kept free from constructions and machines which extend highabove the molds into the range of operation of the cranes. The using ofsolid abrasives, as e.g. sand, for cleaning is complicated, because inorder to regain the abrasives from the metaland slag particles, oneneeds a separating device of its own.

It is an object of the invention to create an installation for cleaningmolds, which is suited to be used in steel works, which is space-savingand of simple and reliable construction, with which the molds can becleaned and cooled in quick sequence without vehicles for transportingthe molds to and from the cleaning installation being necessary and bywhich the operation is not disturbed by the cranes.

These objects of the invention are achieved in an installation of theabove described type, in that a pluralityat least two chambers, whichare downwardly open and capable of being closed at the top by a lid arearranged side by side on a mold grate above a foundation pit and that inthe foundation pit the blasting lance is arranged for pivotal movementon a substantially horizontal lance carrier rotatable about a vertialaxis, so that the lance can be brought into blasting position below onechamber after the other.

Advantageous features of the invention consist in that the chambers arecapable of being closed by horizontally displaceable lids and preferablypossess a common separating wall; in that the height of the horizontallance carrier may be adjusted on a vertical column by means of adisplaceable carriage; in that the blasting lance is carried rotatablyin a housing on the horizontal lance carrier.

Suitably the blasting lance is capable of being connected via a rotaryconnection onto a conduit, preferably onto an articulated conduit forthe supply with high-pressure water, e.g. with 200 at. gauge.

According to a preferred embodiment which is advantageous for a goodaccessibility of the foundation pit, the mold grate is detachablyfastened on the foundation pit and is liftable from and lowerable ontothe foundation pit together with the chambers, forming with them aclosed construction unit.

The invention is illustrated in more detail with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a vertical section through an installation of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a pertaining side elevation, and

FIG. 3 is a top view with the lid being lifted off.

In FIG. 1 a foundation pit is denoted with 1, above which two chambers2, 3 with a common partition wall 5 are detachably arranged on a moldgrate 4. The mold grate 4 is mounted detachably on the foundation pitand is liftable-possibly together with the chambers 2, 3, forming withthem a single construction unit by means of a crane, the foundation pitI thus being made accessible. 6 denotes a lid displaceable or travellingin horizontal direction, respectively; a rail track 7, provided for thispurpose is illustrated in FIG. 2. In the illustration of FIGS. 1 and 2,the lid 6 closes the chamber 3, in which there is a mold 8, which is tobe cleaned and which has been placed approximately in the center axis 9of chamber 3 on the mold grate 4. A second mold l1 (drawn in brokenlines) is placed into the open chamber 2, while the mold 8 is beingcleaned.

12 denotes a lance, to whose upper end a nozzle head 13 is attached,provided with e.g. four downwardly inclined nozzles 14 for thehigh-pressure water (200 at. gauge) to penetrate in direction of theinner walls of the mold 8. The lance I2 is rotatable about its axis andliftable and lowerable in direction of the double arrow; the highestposition 17' at the beginning of the cleaning process is drawn in brokenlines. With its lower end the lance 12 is placed in a housing 15 and iscarried rotatably. The rotation drive I6 may be provided e.g. with atooth wheel rim fastened to the lance 12, with a pinion and ahydraulically or electrically operable motor. When the lance is beingdisplaced within the range of the two altitude lines 17, 18, the jets ofhigh-pressure water hit the inner walls of the mold 8. The rotationdrive 16 and the housing 15 are mounted on the horizontal lance carrier19. The carrier is rigidly mounted on a lance carriage 20, and the lancecarriage 20 is guided on a vertical column 21 by means of a device (notshown) whose height may be adjusted. At the end of this lance guidingmeans 21, bearings, denoted with 22, are provided, so that the lancecarrier 19 together with the lance 12 is swivable selectively from thecenter axis 9 to the center axis 10 of chamber 2 and can be brought intoblasting position. For the supply with highpressure water, a conduit 23consisting of a number of joints is provided, which, on the one hand..isc,orm ted to a stationary high-pressure conduit'23', and. (in the otherhand to a rotary connection known per se in the housing 15. Below thelance 12 a container 24, common for both chambers 2, 3 for the receptionof metaland slag particles is provided, while the water flows offthrough a conduit 25. The swivel axis 27 of the lance guiding 21 isarranged outside the chambers 2, 3 (FIG. 3), equidistant from the centeraxes 9, 10, so that the cleaning process can be carried outalternatively in the one or the other chamber by swivelling the lance 12in direction of the arrow 26.

The lid 6 is shifted above the respective mold that is to be cleaned,the drive suitably being locked, so that the lid cannot be moved untilthe cleaning of the mold is finished. In turn the swivelling of thelance by means of a device (not illustrated) can be effected only whenthe lance is in its lowest position.

By means of this device it is possible to clean and cool large numbersof molds with a minimum of crane work and idle time, the space above themolds being kept completely free from machinery; in case the chambers 2,3 are damaged, they can easily be exchanged for spare chambers, which,e.g. may consist of a simple sheet iron construction. The device can becontrolled in such a way that the nozzle head 13 can be moved downwardand upward between the altitude lines l7, 18, possibly several times sothat a perfect cleaning is possible, even of different mold sizes or ofmolds that have not been inserted centrally into the chambers. Theoperation of the device is extremely easy, possibly it can be controlledfully automatically by using known devices, such as limit switches, timeswitches, relays, selenium cells, etc.

What 1 claim is:

1. Apparatus in combination with a steel works foundation pit forcleaning steel works molds, said apparatus comprising:

grate means positioned above an upper open end of said foundation pit;

a plurality of downwardly open chambers positioned side by side on saidgrate means above said foundation pit, said chambers each being arrangedto receive a steel works mold for cleaning;

said chambers including lid means for closing the tops thereof; and

blasting lance assembly means comprising:

lance-carrying means including means projecting outwardly from asubstantially vertical mounting axis,

lance means mounted on said lance-carrying means remote from saidmounting axis, said lance means being arranged to conduct and eject aflow of pressurized cleaning medium,

means mounting said lance-carrying means for rotation about saidmounting axis so as to selectively displace said lance means between afirst position wherein it is located beneath a first of said chambers, asecond position wherein it is located beneath a second of said chambers,and means mounting said lance means for up-and-down movement and rotarymovement about its own substantially vertical longitudinal axis.relative to said chambers, in each of said first and second positions;

said lance means being communicable with a supply of pressurizedcleaning medium such that:

with said lance means located in said first position below a first steelworks mold disposed in said first chamber, said lance means is arrangedto be raised into said first mold and rotated about its own longitudinalaxis while ejecting cleaning medium against said first mold, and

with said lance means being rotated about said mounting axis to saidsecond position below a second steel works mold disposed in said secondchamber, said lance means is arranged to be raised into said second moldand rotated about its longitudinal axis while ejecting cleaning mediumagainst said second mold, as said first mold is being replaced withanother mold to be cleaned.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 including lid means horizontallyshiftable between the upper ends of at least two of said chambers forselectively closing the top of each chamber.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said chambers include a wallthat is arranged as a common partition wall for two of said chambers.

4. Apparatus as disclosed in claim 1 wherein said means mounting saidlance means for up-and-down movement includes a vertical columnextending along said mounting axis, with said lance-carrying means beingvertically movable along said column.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said out' wardly projectingmeans of said lance-carrying means extends in a generally horizontaldirection and includes a housing mounting said lance means for rotationabout its own longitudinal axis.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 including a conduit coupled to saidlance means by a rotary connection at one end, and communicating with ahigh pressure water supply at its other end.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said conduit is articulated atthe end thereof communicating with said high pressure water.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6 including a high pressure water supplyconduit operatively coupled to said lance means for supplying water at apressure of 200 atmospheric gauge.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said grate means is detachablyarranged above said foundation pit such that said grate means and saidchambers together define a unit that may be lifted from and lowered ontosaid foundation pit.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1 including a container disposed at thebottom of said foundation pit for receiving steel and slag particles;and drain means being disposed in communication with said container forthe removal of cleaning water.

1. Apparatus in combination with a steel works foundation pit forcleaning steel works molds, said apparatus comprising: grate meanspositioned above an upper open end of said foundation pit; a pluralityof downwardly open chambers positioned side by side on said grate meansabove said foundation pit, said chambers each being arranged to receivea steel works mold for cleaning; said chambers including lid means forclosing the tops thereof; and blasting lance assembly means comprising:lance-carrying means including means projecting outwardly from asubstantially vertical mounting axis, lance means mounted on saidlance-carrying means remote from said mounting axis, said lance meansbeing arranged to conduct and eject a flow of pressurized cleaningmedium, means mounting said lance-carrying means for rotation about saidmounting axis so as to selectively displace said lance means between afirst position wherein it is located beneath a first of said chambers, asecond position wherein it is located beneath a second of said chambers,and means mounting said lance means for up-and-down movement and rotarymovement about its own substantially vertical longitudinal axis,relative to said chambers, in each of said first and second positions;said lance means being communicable with a supply of pressurizedcleaning medium such that: with said lance means located in said firstposition below a first steel works mold disposed in said first chamber,said lance means is arranged to be raised into said first mold androtated about its own longitudinal axis while ejecting cleaning mediumagainst said first mold, and with said lance means being rotated aboutsaid mounting axis to said second position below a second steel worksmold disposed in said second chamber, said lance means is arranged to beraised into said second mold and rotated about its longitudinal axiswhile ejecting cleaning medium against said second mold, as said firstmold is being replaced with another mold to be cleaned.
 2. Apparatusaccording to claim 1 including lid means horizontally shiftable betweenthe upper ends of at least two of said chambers for selectively closingthe top of each chamber.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein saidchambers include a wall that is arranged as a common partition wall fortwo of said chambers.
 4. Apparatus as disclosed in claim 1 wherein saidmeans mounting said lance means for up-and-down movement includes avertical column extending along said mounting axis, with saidlance-carrying means being vertically movable along said column. 5.Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said outwardly projecting meansof said lance-carrying means extends in a generally horizontal directionand includes a housing mounting said lance means for rotation about itsown longitudinal axis.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 1 including aconduit coupled to said lance means by a rotary connection at one end,and communicating with a high pressure water supply at its other end. 7.Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said conduit is articulated atthe end thereof communicating with said high pressure water. 8.Apparatus according to claim 6 including a high pressure water supplyconduit operatively coupled to said lance means for supplying water at apressure of 200 atmospheric gauge.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 1wherein said grate means is detachably arranged above said foundationpit such that said grate means and said chambers together define a unitthat may be lifted from and lowered onto said foundation pit. 10.Apparatus according to claim 1 including a container disposed at thebottom of said foundation pit for receiving steel and slag particles;and drain means being disposed in communication with said container forthe removal of cleaning water.